Western Nevada College is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Carson City, Nevada. It enrolls 1,910 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Open / Online). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
65/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes59
Value50
Affordability31
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Admissions data is not yet reported for Western Nevada College.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Western Nevada College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $12,732 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$12,732
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
18%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
3%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$4,168
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$12,834
Room & Board (off-campus)
$17,788
Books & Supplies
$940
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,688
Total Cost of Attendance
$20,248
Application fee: $15 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$11,678
$30,001 – $48,000
$11,828
$48,001 – $75,000
$14,359
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,074
Over $110,000
$13,645
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,00010%percentile
$4,00025%percentile
$10,500Medianpercentile
$20,70975%percentile
$36,46090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $9,500
↓ $1,000
No Pell $5,500
↓ $5,000
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $5,000
Independent students $10,000
↓ $500
Female students $9,250
↓ $1,250
Male students $6,604
↓ $3,896
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,622, close to what completers borrow ($10,500) but without the degree to show for it.
Graduation Rate & Retention
14% of full-time students who enrolled at Western Nevada College graduate within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
14%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
—
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Western Nevada College earn a median of $41,987 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$41,987
Earning > $25K
67%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$34,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$40,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $6,300, about 16% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
19.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 71% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Western Nevada College is home to 1,910 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 54% are first-generation college students, 61% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
1,910
Part-Time
61%
First-Generation
54%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 50.2%959
Hispanic 34.2%654
Other 9.3%177
Asian 2.6%49
Black 1.8%34
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Western Nevada College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityCarson City, Nevada
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
26%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Western Nevada College offers
a varied set of programs:
30 distinct programs across
14 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Western Nevada College is 18:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$6,335
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$316,000
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$79,239
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
58 instructional faculty across 2 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
31
53%
$84,311
Instructors
27
47%
$73,416
Pros & Cons of Western Nevada College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Western Nevada College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Western Nevada College is a fit for
working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Western Nevada College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Western Nevada College.
How much does Western Nevada College cost?
The average net price after aid at Western Nevada College is $12,732 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Western Nevada College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $41,987 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $12,732 per year. That's roughly 3.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Western Nevada College known for?
Western Nevada College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing, Physical Sciences. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Western Nevada College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Western Nevada College are $41,987, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Western Nevada College accredited?
Yes. Western Nevada College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
How many students attend Western Nevada College?
Western Nevada College enrolls 1,910 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Western Nevada College?
Western Nevada College graduates 14% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Western Nevada College a public or private college?
Western Nevada College is a Public institution.
Where is Western Nevada College located?
Western Nevada College is located in Carson City, Nevada.
What programs does Western Nevada College offer?
Western Nevada College offers 30 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing, Physical Sciences.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Western Nevada College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Western Nevada College is 18:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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